A lick and a Promise
by pinksnail
Summary: When you unite a testy trailing cowboy and a virtuous farming saloon girl you can be sure the duo will be an odd one. The Old West is a dangerous place and these two will have to work together if they don't want to end up in the bone orchard by morning.
1. Showtime

**~A Lick and a Promise~**

**Showtime**

* * *

The curtain drew back and she was revealed. Her appearance was met with a din of whooping and shrill wolf whistles. Her mouth was already stretched into a dazzling grin as she watched her audience of vagabonds and misfits and the common day folk. This was a time of day when they could all gather and no one would give a damn whose shoulder their arm was slung around- not on this hour, not in this saloon. Not when it was Chelsea the Grand Granger's night to dance.

She stood with a hand on her hip and one leg jutting out, poised for the beginning of the routine. She waited a moment and then right on cue she heard the familiar sound of the piano. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a neat head of blonde hair below the stage. She struggled to contain a snort. _That Will, he always has to start flashy._

She heard the piano notes go up in pitch as Will dragged his fingers across the ivory keys. And then the tune began. It was jaunty and undeniably catchy.

This was the moment she began to dance. With a sharp kick of her leg she launched herself into a series of spritely dance steps, her dress ruffles swirling with every movement. The occasional flash of undergarments here and there had the men cheering loudly. One man even called out a declaration of love. Chelsea laughed happily and made sure to give him an exaggerated wink in-between her spins.

Now the stage was not so empty. Two other girls had skipped into the limelight, raising their skirts high as they appeared. The cheers grew louder. The routine was in full swing and all spirits were on a high. Almost all spirits.

Over by the bar, she saw a man hunched over his drink with a disgruntled scowl upon his face. That certainly wouldn't do. Chelsea hated nothing more than a huffer on her Saturday night shift.

So like always she decided to take the matter into her own hands and do something about it.

"Angela, Molly," She called to the girls beside her. They saw Chelsea jerk her head towards the brooding man and perform a spinning motion with her finger. Instantly they knew what she wanted to do. The two girls shared a tiny grin between themselves before following Chelsea's lead.

In one fluid motion the blue eyed dancer leapt from the stage onto the nearest table, triggering a stream of exuberant shouts from the surrounding men. She tapped her feat against the wood to the rhythm of the music as she flew from table to table, sparing a small jig for each stop. It was quite miraculous she didn't fall off considering how rickety the furniture was.

She finally reached her destination, finishing the journey with a small hop onto the floor. She was by the bar now, right next to the tetchy-looking man. She approached him without caution and tapped him on the shoulder. Nearby she saw her fellow workmates doing the same to some other gents.

"What's your name sir?" Chelsea asked genially.

He didn't look up from his position over the bar, nor did he reply. So Chelsea decided to tap him again. "Sir?"

"Vaughn." His deep voice reverberated in her ears.

"How about you dance with me Vaughn?" She said with a warm smile upon her face.

He answered flatly, remaining hunched lower over his drink. "I don't dance."

Chelsea latched onto his bicep and tugged at him excitedly. He still didn't look at her. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"I doubt that."

"This isn't an opportunity you'll get every day. It's a pretty exclusive thing. I don't often offer out dances you know."

"Yes, it's an honour to dance with the lady." Another man chimed in, grabbing his other arm. "Just get up and dance."

"By hook or crook I'm getting you dancing sir."

"I said no." He ripped himself from the man and Chelsea's grip, stumbling a bit as he did so. He moved back and bumped into another man causing him to slosh whiskey all down his front.

He turned angrily on Vaughn and barked. "Watch it!"

He ignored the man, giving no apologies, and strode out of the Saloon. Chelsea was left stunned for a few seconds until she heard the bartender exclaimed angrily, "He hasn't paid!"

"Don't worry, I'll see to it he pays." Chelsea said hurriedly as she made for the doors. "Angela, Molly, keep dancing! I'll be back." She called over her shoulder.

Outside the night air was cool against the bare skin of her shoulders and the moon hung over the wooden buildings like a silent observer. She hugged at herself while looking around. That man sure was fast.

She spotted his figure wandering down the dirt street. He was a couple of houses down, close to the inn. Maybe that was where he was going. He did look like the kind of man to be trailing, the kind to do a lot of moving around. _Well, he does look mighty like a waddy to me._

"Hey! Hey there!" She scooped up her skirt and jogged after him. She saw him stop walking but he didn't turn around. She slowed to a halt behind him and placed her hands upon her hips. "Hey now, you didn't pay sir."

He was silent and he still didn't turn around. Chelsea was considering giving this man a good talking to but he spoke before she could open her mouth. "Here." He grunted, throwing back a couple of coins.

Chelsea scrambled to catch them but only ended up grabbing one. She scowled at him as she stooped to pick up the fallen gold. "Sir, that certainly was not necessary." She said as she marched around to plant herself firmly in front of him. She didn't like that he wasn't facing her. She liked to have eye contact with those she talked to.

She regretted that decision a little bit. He had a very cold stare. _Icy_ she would call it...and rather purple. Those were some strange eyes. Pretty though.

She straightened her back and puffed out her chest before speaking in a solid tone. "I believe you owe someone an apology."

He raised an eyebrow. "What? You mean the drifter I knocked into?"

"No! Me. That gent would be far too blue to even care. He's out of it."

He stared at her for a few moments, looking almost exasperated and then he pushed past her without uttering a single word.

She spun around and grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, hey, hey! That is not an apology."

She heard him heave an aggravated sigh, rubbing a hand over weary-looking eyes. He removed his hand and she was staring into two violet pools again. "And what exactly am I apologising for?"

"You know," She said, "being rude at the bar, running out without paying, throwing solid pieces of metal at me. That sort of stuff."

"I don't need to apologise for that."

"Wha-!"

"Look girl, last thing I wanted tonight was some sappy saloon dancer to stomp over and be causing skulduggery. That trouble was enough to have lost you an apology."

"Saloon dancer? No, no sir. I don't just dance, I sing too; sometimes we even put on little skits. Then not just that, I work a plot during the day. Think I'm sappy now? I'm an all-round entertainer, farmer, miner, fisherman and survivor. Can you beat that Poppet?"

Vaughn ground his teeth. "First off, don't be calling me Poppet. I don't care who I give a slogging to. Second, it's not hard to beat a plough chaser such as yourself. Bet you don't even know how to aim a gun."

"Well, naw... 'Course not. I've never even tried to shoot before! I'll bet if you gave me a talking-iron I'd be able to riddle anything with holes."

"...Stupid..." He growled and took off down the road, muttering as he went, "I don't have time for this."

She ran after him. "Whoa- Wait, wait. How about tomorrow at noon then? You can see me shoot. "

"Not here tomorrow." He continued to walk.

"What do you mean? You're leaving? I can't just let someone insult me and then get away without me amazing them."

"I've got work."

"When are you leaving then? I can show you early tomorrow."

"I'm leaving early tomorrow."

"Well what about right now? Give me than gun in your holster. I'll show you." She said enthusiastically as she reached for the weapon.

He slapped her hand away, doing his best to shrug her off. He was getting more agitated by the second. "I need my sleep and I certainly wouldn't trust you with my gun." He entered the inn.

She followed him in. "What about-"

"Stop pestering me!" He bellowed, his face contorted in downright ferocity.

Chelsea jumped back a little in shock but then regained her cool. She saw to her right the innkeeper ogling them with his mouth agape, frozen in the act of cleaning a lantern. She cringed and looked away from the bushy-moustached tenant.

Her expression morphed into one of a naughty child who knew they had crossed some sort of boundary that shouldn't be crossed. She had been rather startled by Vaughn's explosion and it seemed he had been too. His eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth dropped from its venomous snarl into a confused frown. He mumbled something to himself before walking off, yet again without another word. Not even a nod of the head!

"I'll see you around." She called weakly.

Naught. Zilch. Nil.

She received not a single ditty in reply.

She hadn't really expected one. It did make her feel a bit putout though. Where was his common courtesy?

With a huff, she fixed the feather that had come askew in her hair and stomped out the door.

* * *

**It's the Old West! _Bang! Bang!_**

**I get way too excited over cowboys... The old Western style media is just brilliant ****though**** and maybe a bit overdone but I wanted to try my hand at it anyway. And its amazing how well the characters from Harvest Moon fit into this concept. I'm not even just talking about Vaughn here. I've got a plan for so many characters. I feel very very happy right now.**

**So its not going to be completely historically accurate but I would like to add in snippets of truth here and there. I've already put in a load of slang to this story.**

**In the future of this fic it will probably get a lot darker but that is a long way off yet so enjoy these jolly moments while they last. See you next time! Byeeeeeeee**


	2. Ol'Benny's

**~A Lick and a Promise~**

**Ol'Benny's**

* * *

Chelsea trudged into the Saloon just as the last of the customers were being kicked out. They tended to close up late at Ol'Benny's- or earlier depending on how you looked at it. So now just as the early light of dawn began to appear in golden streaks of sky Chelsea threw herself on top of a bar stool and let her head fall with a _thump_ against the counter.

Ol'Benny- come owner and occasional bartender- poured her out a whiskey without saying a word. He wasn't really a talker but Chelsea appreciated the silent support regardless. Benny was a good man, a good employer to boot. He paid her and the girls well. And as for Will... Well Chelsea didn't have the slightest insight into what Will earned. He liked to skirt around that topic.

She inclined her head to Benny and after a mumbled "Cheers" threw the glass back, gulping the alcohol down in one. She slammed the empty glass down, smacking her lips together in appreciation. "Man, I needed that. Seriously Benny, you won't believe my night. Remember that gent Benny? The grouchy one? Oh wait, you weren't on shift. Darn. I'll tell you anyway! So this man was probably one of the rudest customers I've seen passing through here. And I mean, I know I've only been here for... what now- nearly a whole season- but honestly, he was just so damn rude! Some belvidere waddy with the personality of a mustang's ass is what he was!"

Chelsea saw Benny's bushy eyebrows furrow together slightly- his most commonplace sign of confusion. It was the little expressions you had to spot when talking to Benny or you'd never be able to hold a solid conversation (of sorts).

"His personality stank Benny! That's what I'm getting at. It stank like a mustang's ass."

"I do hope you don't often go smelling horses' rear-ends, my lady." Chelsea gasped, nearly falling off the bar stool as the ever immaculate Will popped up beside her. How he was always able to appear out of the blue was a mystery but it never failed to surprise her. She had found it amusing and quite incredible the first few times but after that she was quick to become irritated. For all his talk of chivalry making her jump out of her skin at every given moment hardly seemed at all gallant in her mind.

"You shut your big bazoo!" She exclaimed indignantly, slapping her hands to the bar in order to keep herself steady. She heard the quite chortle of Ol'Benny from behind the bar and aimed a scowl in his direction, "You too!"

"Oh come now, Chelsea." Will poised himself elegantly atop of a nearby stool, sweeping up the drink Benny poured for him, "I only wanted to check up on you. Oh, by the way you were dazzling last night."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks Will. Now vamoose."

"Ah, your words are a harsh dagger to my tender heart!" He mimed a stabbing action into his chest and fell from his seat to the floor in a dramatic fashion.

Chelsea chuckled lightly and prodded him away with the tow of her boot. "Be off with you. Go play the piano."

"Anything for you, my lady."

She watched the pianist flounce off with a suppressed smile and amused twinkle to the eye. It was honestly so hard to remain aloof when Will was around. He was far too much of a social butterfly to evoke true annoyance from within her.

"I better make myself scarce too, Benny. Molly is probably worrying like a madman right about now." Chelsea looked to Benny for conformation. He delivered an anticipated nod which was no source of comfort for Chelsea. Foreseeing the lecture she was sure to receive was hardly able to soften the blow.

With a sigh she dropped the gold recovered from last night's renegade cowboy and pushed it in the direction of the ever silent Benny. "Here's some cash for the bank. And I hope these coins get the appreciation they deserve- maybe live out the rest of their coin existence being swapped between gentle hands- 'cause they were most certainly not with gentle hands last night. Thrown through the air they were, Benny- at a wonderful farmer no less. Some even fell to the dust at my feet."

Her ramble was lost on Benny who listened yet had not a clue to what strange happenings partook in his employee's mind. With the perfect amendment of his expression from mildly puzzled to downright lost in a sea of bewildering words Benny hesitantly made to scoop up the coins.

"Careful," Chelsea demanded of the baffled man. "You be careful with those coins. I saved them from a terrible fate- a terrible man. You give them the gentle hands they deserve."

And on that note she swept away up the stairs to receive a good talking to and leaving the bartender staring at the gold cupped in his palms as if it may just get up and do a jig. With the confident words of the Grand Granger echoing in his mind he stowed the coins away in a draw and vowed never to look at them again.

* * *

**So I thought I would start explaining some of the slang or more confusing dialogue here. Most of you can probably know or can piece together the meanings but just in case you are now able to refer to this when in a state of confusion- just like my lovely Ol'Benny. The first OC of the story! I didn't really want to use one of the Harvest Moon characters in his place because I didn't want to waste them yet. Plus the fact that Benny is awesome. BENNY! BENNY! BENNY!**

**Grand - excellent, beautiful. **

**Granger - a farmer.**

**Thus Chelsea's stage name/nickname is the Grand Granger. Beautiful Farmer. However Granger could also be used in a more derogatory fashion back in the old west but we'll get into that more later.**

**Waddy - One of the words for cowboy, especially a cowboy who drifted from ranch to ranch and helped out in busy times.**

**Belvidere - A handsome man.**

**Chelsea calling Vaughn a handsome cowboy yet in a rather infuriated way. Her opinion being 'all looks, no substance' in this case.**

**Vamoose - Basically a way of telling someone to scram/go away.**

**Bazoo - Mouth.**


End file.
